Fit For a Queen
by httpmills
Summary: Robin Locksley is the prince of England. Next in line for the throne. There is just one thing missing. A royal lady. Five women are in a competition for his heart. But does Regina Mills, a simple coffee stand owner from the streets of New York, have what it takes to be the one to win him over and become the Queen? Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

*Beep. Beep. Beep*

The all too familiar annoying sound of her alarm came to life at six am sharp. A groan erupted from her as she lifted her arm from underneath the covers, slamming it down on the snooze button to shut the machine off.

'Mornings,' she grumbled to herself. Why on earth did she think running her own coffee stand was a bright idea? She hated getting up at six am every morning. Hated not being able to have that chance to sleep in and have just a bit of extra time to herself. Although the only bright side to owning your own business was the fact that you were your own boss so technically speaking, she always could skip a day and just relax. But that wouldn't bring her much money.

Running a hand across her face, she threw her covers to the side and groaned. She rolled herself out of her bed and made her way over to the bathroom to start her morning routine. She started her shower, letting the water warm up a bit while she began her usual facial wash, followed by a quick brush of her teeth. She then hopped in her shower, groaning softly as the warmth of the water fell against her soft skin. Squeezing some shampoo onto her hand, she gently applied some in her hair, running it through her soft, luscious locks, gently humming to herself as she did so.

Once her shower was finished she shut the water off and stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack beside her and wrapping it around her naked body. Taking a seat at her vanity, she then gently began to apply some makeup, her gaze briefly landing on a picture of her and her former lover that was resting on the nightstand.

It had been three years now since Daniel had been gone and it seems like the ache of missing him had gotten worse with each year. The fact that she came home to an empty apartment every night without him being there to greet her and ask about her day and just hold her at night is what made her break down almost everyday. She hated it. Hated the feeling of loss. Hated the fact that he was taken from her so soon. Hated the fact that she somehow won't be able to move on. Won't be able to be happy with anyone else.

Shaking her head of her thoughts and wiping a small tear that ran down her cheek she stood up from her vanity and walked over to her closet to pick out an outfit for the day. She settled with dark skinny jeans, a white tank top, and a grey and black flannel to throw over it, with some black ankle boots to complete it all. Giving herself a final glance in the mirror she smiled at herself before walking out of her bedroom and out of her apartment.

Spring weather in New York was beautiful. The 50s-60s range was her ideal temperature. She loved walking to work every morning and enjoying the crispy breeze blowing through her hair and the bright sunshine bringing out the lovely tan her skin possessed. She smiled, greeting a few familiar passersby as she opened up the little side door to her coffee stand.

"Ah good morning Mal," she greeted her coworker who she also considered her best friend.

"Hey there hot mama! You seem rather off this morning. Everything alright?" the blonde asked her friend in curiosity. She knew the answer though. The passing of her brother was hard for everyone. But it seemed to take a hard toll on Regina. She would be fine most days but then there were certain days where she would just become… moody. Distant. Days where she would shut everyone out and lock herself in her apartment refusing to come out. She hated seeing her friend this way knowing there was no way she could help.

"Everything is fine. I mean I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Did I mention I'm fine?" Regina answered, making an attempt to put on a fake smile in hopes of convincing Mal.

"You know I can always tell when you're bullshitting right?" the blonde asked, brows raised in question. "Come on Gina. We've been friends for six years. I can read you like a book. I know it's one of those days where you're hurting over him and it's okay to admit it."

Regina glanced over at her friend, lips pursing in thought before she rubbed them together, swallowing down a sob. "Yeah it's just a bit hard I guess. I saw this picture and got a little emotional over it. But I'll be fine I promise."

"You know he wouldn't want you to be sad forever? I mean he definitely would want you to try to be happy. To move on." Her hand came out to gently rub the brunette's back reassuring her gently. "Your happiness is all that mattered to him."

"I know. I know. It's just," Regina paused, trying to find the right words. "I'm just not so sure romance is in the cards for me right now. "Making sure this coffee stand doesn't fail… that's what's important," she chuckled softly earning a laugh from her friend as well.

"You kidding me?! This place will never fail! Hell, with your looks and my mad coffee skills we'll have men eating out of the palms of our hands in no time. Heck we might even move this stand and turn it into a shop."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, hm?" Regina mumbled, shaking her head at her friend as she changed the 'CLOSED' sign to 'OPEN.'

"Ah finally. Been standing here for a while waiting for you ladies to open. I heard you serve the best coffee in all of New York City and I just had to be the judge of that."

Regina smirked, rolling her eyes at the cocky tone of the stranger's voice.

"Best indeed," came her response as she turned around. Her breath caught in her throat, mouth gaped open when she came face to face with a handsome blue-eyed man. She could almost feel her knees going weak when she shot her the most beautiful dimpled smile she had ever seen.

"That's what I like to hear. Tell you what M'lady, I'll take three espressos."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys! Okay, so I just want to start off by quickly thanking everyone for the sweet feedback. It means a lot to me and I'm super happy you guys are as excited about this story as I am. While I did get the idea from a little game I played, I'm changing things around to make it mine. That being said I feel like I need to remind everyone that this story is strictly fiction and I don't mean to bring any offence to anyone with anything. I would also like to point out that chapters will get longer as the story goes so I do apologize to anyone that hates short chapters. I'll try my best to update this story once a week. Work tends to take me away from stuff like this. But... enough of my rambling. Enjoy the update!**

* * *

She stared at him. Gazes locked on each other's while a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Three? You sure you can handle all that?" she asked, leaning against the counter and handing the mystery man his three cups of espresso. "They are pretty strong."

"Oh, I… uh. No. I mean – " What did he mean? Here he thought he was going to walk up to this stand in full confidence and make a few ladies flustered just like he did back home. However it is he who has made the fool of himself just now. But can one blame him? He was too captivated by the beautiful vixen standing before him. The way her brown curls fell just below her shoulders. Lips parted in the most gorgeous smile he had ever seen. And those eyes – her beautiful brown eyes. He found himself drawn in.

What was wrong with him? He had just met the woman but something about her drew him closer, like he wanted to forget about everything else and keep conjuring up excuses to stay and talk to her.

Regina giggled, shaking her head. "Hey, I'm only teasing you. But they are pretty strong," her angelic voice broke him out of his trance.

He cleared his throat before responding, "Right. What I meant to say was, two of them are for my mates. They're uh… back in the hotel room. How much do I owe you?"

"Ah," she nodded in understanding, rubbing her lips together in thought. "Don't worry about the pay. It's on the house."

"No please, let me pay something. Or at least a tip?" he pleaded, knowing that the small coffee stand is her source of income. He pulled out thirty dollars and slid it over the counter towards where her hand was resting. "I insist."

Her gaze broke away from his, letting it fall towards the money on the counter top as she took it with sigh. "You're impossible, Mr. – " she paused realizing she didn't know his name.

"My apologizes M'lady. I'm Robin Locksley," he replied, holding out his hand waiting for her to take it. She took his hand in hers, shaking it gently before replying with a smile.

"Robin. I'm Regina Mills. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine." She felt her cheeks heat into a shade of pink, the dimpled smile making her knees go weak again. "As much as I hate to leave right now, I'm afraid I must. If I bring back cold coffees to the guys, I won't hear the end of it."

"No of course!" she said, pulling her hand back and clearing her throat. "I'm sure I'll see you around?"

"I sure do hope so." He shot her a wink before waving a quick goodbye and walking back towards the direction he came from. Regina stared after him, capturing her bottom lip between her teeth and biting down on it softly to keep a grin from appearing on her face. Her gaze fell on her friend, who she had completely forgotten was standing there.

"What?" she said feeling a bit oblivious.

"You know what," Mal said with a smirk, head peaking out towards the man that had vanished into the crowd. "You looked like you were practically ready to jump him."

"I was not!" Regina stated matter of factly. "He was a costumer and I was just being polite."

"Mmhmm."

Regina rolled her eyes, mumbling a quick 'Whatever' before she let out a sigh. "We're out of milk. I'm going to run down the street and pick some up at the market. You'll be fine by yourself, yeah?"

"Yeah I got this!" Mal nodded, ushering her friend out of the stand. Regina shook off the weird feeling but ignored it as she left the stand and walked down towards the market.

On the walk back to the hotel Robin couldn't help but shake the feeling off from the woman he had just met. Regina. Regina Mills. He kept repeating her name over and over in his head. And what a beautiful name it was. Fit for such a beautiful woman. And her smile – the pearly white teeth. Her laugh was like music to his ears. God how he wanted to be able to make her laugh again.

But he shook himself from his thoughts knowing after tomorrow he would be long gone from New York and back in England. This was his last taste of freedom before he had to choose his bride and become he next ruler.

The whole process was a load of bollocks. He didn't understand why he constantly had to follow his father's demands. Personally he thought of a competition between women for a throne was dumb. He wanted to marry someone _he_ wanted to be with. Someone his heart led him to, not someone who was chosen because of a competition.

Sighing, he slid his keycard into the knob, the green light indicating that it was a success, before he opened the room to the hotel and stepped inside letting the door slam shut behind him.

"'Bout time! Those coffees better not be cold," came a booming voice as his best mate Killian appeared from the bathroom. "You've been gone for nearly an hour."

"It's been just about thirty minutes. Don't be dramatic," Robin grumbled, handing him his espresso before setting the other cup aside.

"Thirty minutes too long mate," he took a sip, groaning a bit at the taste. "Seems like those locals were right. This is the best espresso I've had in ages!"

"Yeah it is," Robin responded, walking over towards the windows that overlooked the city, his mind clearly on someone in particular.

"What's with the sudden attitude change?" Killian asked, coming to stand beside his friend, glancing over his slump profile with an arched brow.

"Just… feeling a bit down about leaving this place is all," Robin mumbled, not breaking his gaze from the window.

"Since when? This entire trip you've been complaining about how crowded New York City is and how you can't wait to get back home."

"I've changed my mind I suppose," came his response.

"Or 'someone' changed your mind. Who's the lass?"

The question brought an instant smile to Robin's face. Head ducked down, he chuckled softly before his gaze drifting over to his friend. "Regina. Her name is Regina. And she's something else, Killian; she had this old school vibe to her. So down to earth and so… so breathtakingly beautiful."

"Judging by the blush on your face I can tell she's a looker. Does she know you're a prince?" he asked with an amused chuckle.

"No! And she's not going to."

"Whatever you say mate. No need to get testy. Try not to get too hung up on her, yeah? You'll be back home with four women just waiting to get their hands on you. You won't even be thinking of Regina for much longer."

"Doubt that," Robin muttered, glancing down at his half empty cup.

"Look I need to head down to the market to grab a few things. Need anything since I'm going?" Killian asked, throwing on his jacket before heading towards the hotel room door.

"No thanks!" Robin shouted back. "I'll be knocked out by the time you get back."

"Don't sweat it mate. She's just a girl." He stated before heading out and letting the door shut behind him.

'Yeah. Just a girl,' he repeated to himself, letting his head fall back against the pillows. He gazed up towards the ceiling, thoughts returning back to the dark haired beauty before sleep finally took over him.

Regina stepped inside the small convenient store, flashing a smile towards the worker as she made her way towards the refrigerator section and picked up a gallon of coconut milk. Humming softly to herself, she made her way back over to the front. Setting the milk down on the counter, she quickly dug through her bag for the four dollars she had thrown inside just before leaving the stand.

Handing the money over to the cashier, she took the milk back from her hands and just as she was about to leave she heard the cashier yell a quick, 'Have a nice day Regina!' Turning around slowly she responded with a quick 'Thank you.' She locked eyes with an unfamiliar dark haired stranger that, for some reason, was looking at her as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely, smiling over in his direction.

"I'm sorry?"

'Hm. Weird,' she thought to herself.

"Can I help you?" she repeated again. "You were staring at me as if you needed something."

"Oh," he nodded, clearing his throat. "Yeah uh, your name is Regina right?"

"Yes?" her response came out questioning him, eyebrow arched in confusion. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

"No, no we don't but do you mind walking with me for a minute? We need to talk."

Now things felt a bit… strange. She had no idea who this man was nor did the man know her, yet there were things he needed to talk to her about? She hesitated for a moment before giving him a brief nod mumbling, 'Sure,' before stepping out of the store with him, walking a few steps away and more towards the curb just in case she had to make a run for it.

"So what is it you needed to tell me?"

"Allow me to introduce myself first. My name is Killian Jones. Judging by your stance and how far you're walking from me I just wanted to reassure you that you're fine with me and I'm not going to hurt you. I really do just wanna talk."

She nodded, making the decision to move away from the curb and walk a bit closer to him. Not because she trusted him but because she didn't exactly feel like getting hit by a car either.

"Have you ever been to England, Regina?"

"England? Uh… no, I don't suppose I have. I've always wanted to though."

"And you know how… the rulers go about, yes? Princes. Princesses. Kings. Queens?"

"They're… passed down. Basically it's in your blood to be the next person to take the throne and rule, no?"

"Correct," he shot her a smile that she greatly returned. "However if there's no woman to take the throne as queen, with the next king, the previous ruler holds a competition."

"Competition?" Regina asked eyebrows raised. "Like an actual competition… to be queen?"

"Seems a bit out there, hm? I agree. But it's true. There are five women that compete for it. Well, we only have four and – " he was interrupted by a sudden gasp from the brunette beside him, causing him to stop walking and turn towards her.

"And you're asking me to be the fifth woman to compete for someone's love? You're out of your damn mind!"

Killian sighed, reaching out a hand to calm her down, but she jerked back to avoid his touch. "Look, Regina, I know it's a lot to take in but – " And once again he was cut off. Damn was she a feisty one.

"A lot to take in?! You're seriously asking me to drop everything and fly to England with you to compete for a man's love? Is that it?"

"Well – " he started, rolling his eyes when she cut him off again.

"Look… Killian?" He nodded indicating she had his name right. She sighed before continuing in a much softer tone, "I'm sure… you and this prince mean well, but I have a life here. New York is my home. No offense, but I can't just fly off and compete to run a country I know nothing about and fight for a man I've never even met."

'Oh you've met him,' he thought but didn't dare say out loud.

"I'm sorry, but it's not happening." she made an attempt to brush past him but he grabbed ahold of her arm gently, making her stop and turning to face him.

"Regina… please just consider it? You're different than the women back home. You have this… vibe that I can't explain, but it's a vibe that could definitely get you to win. Just consider it?" He pulls out a card and handing it over to her. She examines it before sighing and taking it from his hand. "I'll be staying at the hotel just down the street until about noon tomorrow. The flight leaves at two. If you change your mind give me a call?"

She looked him over before shoving the card in her bag. "Goodbye Killian." Without giving him a chance to respond she turned on her heels and disappeared into the busy crowd.

After another ten-minute walk Regina returned back to her stand, setting her stuff down glancing over at Mal. "Hey is it busy?"

Mal looked her over before glancing out on the streets motioning towards the invisible line of no one. "Yeah! Check out this line; we might never get through it."

Rolling her eyes at the sarcastic response, Regina walked over taking a seat back in the corner looking over at the card Killian had given her.

"What's that?" her friend questioned, walking over and taking the card from her hands gently.

"Did you know that they compete for a queen to rule England?" Regina asked, avoiding Mal's gaze. "That was given to me by someone a part of the court. He… wants me to fly to England with him tomorrow and join the competition."

"WHAT?!" Mal asked, a smile appearing on her face. "Oh Regina, tell me you said yes?"

Regina shot her head up, glancing at her friend with a confused expression. "Yes? Mal I said no! I don't compete for love."

"So? It sounds fun! Don't be such a sourpuss."

"I'm not a sourpuss Mal. I just don't find this fun. I don't want a man to love me because I won a competition. I want him to love me for me. Is that too much to ask?"

"No… it makes sense, but Regina, it's the prince. They want you. They see something in you that they haven't seen in anyone. This is your opportunity to become a royal. To become a queen! You'd be an idiot to miss this opportunity."

Regina pursed her lips, shrugging her shoulder before responding in a whisper, "What if I don't want to be queen?"

"Regina, it's every girl's dream to be a queen! Plus you act like one all the time," her friend jokingly responded, nudging her friend gently with a laugh that earned her a scowl from the brunette.

"I do not!" she argued back. Shoving her friend before walking over towards the counter, she hoisted her body up so she could sit and get a good view of the city skyline.

"Look, as your best friend, I want what's best for you. If you really think that this is just something that's dumb and not interesting, then don't do it. But it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. You're beautiful. You're smart. You're classy, and you're down to earth. Any man would be lucky to have you, and England would be lucky to have someone like you as their queen. You have a shot at winning this thing. I want this to be an, 'At least I gave it a shot' opportunity versus an, 'I wonder what would have happened.' I know this is something you would regret if you didn't do it."

Regina sighed, her gaze still focused on the night falling sky as she took in every word her blonde friend stated. Mal was right. Deep down she knew she was right. The offer was tempting, but truth be told, she was scared. Scared of letting anyone near her. Scared of opening up her heart only to get it crushed again. Scared of falling for a man only to have him ripped away from her in just the blink of an eye. But most of all, she was scared of hurting Daniel. She didn't want him to feel like she was replacing him in some way or that she was moving on too fast. Her heart was conflicted.

"Regina… it has been three years. It's okay to move on. He wouldn't want you to be sad forever. Please understand that."

That did it. She finally let the tears fall. Mal instantly pulled her into a hug, holding her close as Regina buried her head in her friend's neck and clutching on tightly as she sobbed out loud. Oh how she missed him. Mal sighed, rubbing her back and whispering a few encouraging words.

"I know. But when you finally let that new person in, the pain will become less. He'll be able to bring you happiness again. Make you smile. To be honest, I miss my fun loving best friend, and I kinda need her back."

Regina sniffled, pulling back as she wiped her tears before smiling softly. "Believe me, I miss her too." Licking her lips she glanced over at the card again, shaking her head. "So you think I should do it?"

"If you don't, I sure as hell will."

Regina laughed, playfully rolling her eyes as she motioned for her friend to hand her the card while she reached for her phone in her pocket. She swiped the 'unlock' tab and then typed in the numbers that were written down on the card. On the third ring she heard his familiar voice on the other end. Clearing her throat gently she responded, "Killian? It's… Regina." She glances up at her friend who in return gives her a nod of encouragement. "How's the weather in England? I'm taking you up on that offer."


	3. Chapter 3

**I just want to apologize right now for such a short chapter. I was attempting to make this longer but I figured I would leave it how it is and**

 **update either tomorrow or Monday. ;) That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Friendly reminder that I do not own Robin or Regina but I sure do wish I did.**

* * *

Regina let out a deep sigh, body falling back against the overly soft cushion of the plane seat. Never once had she had the luxury of flying on a private jet. Champagne just for her. The amount of comfort and space one could dream of. A grin appeared on her face as she flipped through a fashion magazine, only breaking her concentration on the page when Killian came to sit beside her.

"Someone seems to be enjoying themselves. I take it you're glad you agreed to come?"

She let out a small laugh, shrugging her shoulders. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for champagne and fine chocolates." Giggling a bit more at his eye roll she continued on, "The jet is lovely. As for everything else… ask me after I've met the man and get a taste of what I'm really after."

Killian cleared his throat. His smile fading, the sudden feeling of anxiety washing over him when he realized he didn't exactly tell her about Robin.

"Yeah, about that… listen, Regina, there's something you should know – " he was cut off when the pilot suddenly came over the speaker to let them know they were about to reach their destination in London. Ignoring his word, Regina eagerly leaned over her seat as the grin on her face grew a bit more when her eyes met the outside.

"That's Big Ben!" she shouted, a little too excited, like a small child in a toy store. "I've always wanted to see it in person."

Sighing at the sudden loss of interest, Killian glanced out the window, smiling softly at her excitement. "Perhaps I can get one of my best mates to escort you there while you're here."

"Escort?" Regina question, glancing over at him. "Like a bodyguard? That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

He shook his head. "You're spending time with a soon to be king. The press will be all over you for the next few weeks. Trust me love, an escort is necessary."

She nodded in understanding, shrugging off the annoyed feeling. Perhaps this is a life she would have to get used to, or at least until she got back to New York.

When the plane reached its marked spot, she quickly gathered her things and followed Killian towards the exit of the aircraft, allowing him to help her down the narrow steps.

Before making their way to the limo, he turned to her quickly speaking in a low manner, "Regina, starting now your life is about to change. Things… could get ugly throughout this competition so I need you to promise me something."

Staring back him with sincerity in her eyes, she nodded along with every word before responding, "Anything."

He sighed. "Promise me that you won't let this change who you are. You won't let evil get the best of you. You have this beautiful personality that I don't wanna see you lose. Just, promise you won't do anything you'll ever regret," he asked, practically pleading at this point. Regina mimicked his sigh, a smile appearing on her face as she nodded once.

"Don't worry. I don't think anything can hurt me right now more than I've already been hurt. When this all ends I'll be Regina. I'll always be Regina. That's a promise."

He nodded, giving her a smile before motioning his head towards the awaiting limo. Holding the door open for her, he let her slide in first before climbing in after her and shutting the car door behind them. She sighs, taking everything in before glancing over at him.

"Is this one of his… cars?" she asked, brows raised, while her slim fingers ran over the soft leather interior.

Killian nodded with a chuckle, "They sure know how to impress." She laughs at that, eyes roaming all over the car before they fall on a magazine that was resting alone across the way. Curious she reached over, grabbing it gently before turning it over, and when she did her stomach practically dropped at the front cover. There in bold black letters was:

 **ROBIN LOCKSLEY. SOON TO BE THE NEW KING OF ENGLAND HOLDS COMPETITION FOR A WIFE TO BE.**

Sick. That's what she felt. Anger? Hurt? Would it be fair of her to feel such things? She had only met him for about five minutes. But still, flirting with a woman and not necessarily sharing the fact that you're a prince about to be in charge of running a country isn't exactly something that should be ignored either. Then it started to register… Robin said he was visiting New York with friends. Two friends. Killian. Her gaze broke away from the tabloid and fell on Killian instead.

"Y– you're a friend of Robin's? He's the prince?"

He broke his focus away from the road, a mumbled 'Hmm?' as he turned his attention towards her. The hurt look on her face almost broke him. 'Bloody hell,' he mumbled under his breath as he reached out, taking the magazine from her grip.

"Regina, listen to me. Yes. Yes Robin is the prince. But there's a fair explanation as to why he didn't say anything."

She raised her brows, arms crossed against her chest, not saying a word, waiting for him to resume.

Letting out a sigh he continued, "When we left for New York, it was his last taste of freedom. Something he won't be able to do again. He wanted to feel normal for once. He didn't want to be known as the prince. He didn't want to feel like people needed to give him some sort of special treatment or like he was being used. Turns out he was feeling miserable that entire trip. But then he met you."

Her gaze softened a bit, stance becoming less irritated, so he took a breath and continued on. "He returned back to the room speaking highly of you. About how beautiful you were. How he had only just met you yet he wanted to be around you. How he felt utterly upset that he was leaving so soon and wouldn't be able to see you or get to know you."

She smiled. He had felt the same way she had felt but didn't dare say aloud. Feeling tears start to form, she nodded softly letting him go on.

"So I did what any friend would do. I invited you to England. He actually has no idea you're here but what a surprise that'll be for him."

"He doesn't know I'm here?" she gasped a bit, sitting up. "What if he gets mad? What if he doesn't want me? Wha – " she was cut off suddenly by his gentle hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

"Love, you worry too much. He wants you here. Trust me," he nodded, rubbing her shoulder.

She sighed, feeling slightly uneasy about this all of sudden, knowing that the handsome British man from her coffee stand was the prince. She felt uneasy and… jealous?

She opened her mouth to respond when the car suddenly came to a stop. Her gaze broke from Killian's and focused out the car window. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the mansion. Its detail and architecture took her breath away as she stepped out of the limo and glanced around at everything.

A statue in the center of the driveway with a miniature pond around it. Gardens with the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. For a moment she had imagined what it would be like to live here permanently, in a place so beautiful, with Robin by her side. She needed to win this competition.

"So what do you think?" Killian asked, making her jump slightly and breaking her from her thoughts. For a split second she had forgotten he was even there.

"Oh… uh," she paused shaking her head, a smile appearing on her lips. "It's all beautiful. Like something out of a fairytale."

He returned her smile graciously and motioned for her to follow him up the steps. "I had a feeling you would say that." A chuckle erupted from deep inside him as they both stepped inside.

"About time you showed up! I was beginning to think you and Robin were both lying about the girl." A sudden deep voice made Regina turn her attention towards the grand staircase where a handsome, well dressed man descended. Hm. With the way he was dressed and how his features looked, she assumed he was somehow related to the royal family.

"Well, for obvious reasons we couldn't accompany you and Robin on the flight back so we had to take a different approach mate. Don't be an arse."

The man simply chuckled at Killian's response, walking straight to Regina, taking her hand in his and placing a tender kiss to her hand.

"You must be Lady Regina. I'm David Nolan. Apologies for not getting the chance to meet you sooner but I had to get Robin back here a day earlier than we had originally planned."

She smiled warmly, pulling her hand back and gently letting it fall to her side before shaking her head. "I completely understand. It's a pleasure to meet you. Where is Robin if I may ask?"

"In a meeting with his father. He's actually been in there for a while now and should be out soon. Why don't you allow me to show you to your bedroom?" His gaze then moved towards Killian's. "Killian I'm sure you'd like to wash up and eat something after your long trip?" Killian nodded, handing him Regina's belongings before he looked over at her with a smile and reassured her that he would come check in on her later, and then he disappeared down the corridor.

"Lady Regina, if you would please follow me," David motioned his head towards the staircase; she quickly obliged and followed closely behind him. On the long walk towards the guest room she took the opportunity to glance at all the paintings on the walls. Some were of the king and whom she assumed was his wife. Some were with Robin. The others were just random pieces of artwork.

"And here we are," David broke her from her trance and opened the door to a beautiful room. The walls were painted a light shade of pink and at the back of the room sat a massive side bed with a princess canopy cascading above it. She stepped inside, making her way towards the balcony where she was met with the most beautiful view that overlooked a rose garden and quite a few apple trees.

"I trust you find the room to your liking?" David asked and she smiled.

"Love it actually."

He smiled, nodding his head. "Perfect. Now in the wardrobe over here you'll find clothes that you will be required to wear. These are clothes that would be deemed appropriate for a queen in training to wear. If anything doesn't fit, please feel free to let me or Killian know and we shall have it fitted for you."

She nodded at his words, "Will do."

"Is there anything else I can get you right now?" he asked sincerely.

She shook her head, "I believe I'm okay for now but I'll be sure to let you know if I have any questions."

He smiled, nodding his head once before he turned on his heels, leaving the room and closing the door softly before him. Once he had left, Regina had let out a sigh, walking over to the bed and falling back against it; gaze locked on the ceiling, she found herself lost deep in her thoughts again.

'Clothes appropriate for a queen in training,' David's voice kept echoing through her mind. Appropriate? How was she to know what was appropriate and what wasn't? And why did it matter? Was this what Killian meant when he told her not to lose herself? How could she even promise to stay true to herself if she couldn't _be_ herself? What was she even doing here? All these questions had made her anxiety rise and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. Maybe she was making a big mistake.

Sure, she could admit she felt something for Robin. She wasn't sure what the feeling was but there _was_ something there. But was all this going to be worth it in the end? What if he didn't feel the same way? What if she misread the signs and he wanted nothing to do with her? What if, when all this comes to an end, he doesn't choose her and it was all just a complete waste of time?

Choking back a sob, she reached over for her phone, opening up her 'United' app. She pulled up the list of morning flights back to New York when she was startled by a sudden knock at her door. Thinking it was Killian, since he promised to check on her, she hopped up from her bed, walking over towards the door slowly and opening it with a smile.

"That was quic – " she started to say, but when she came face to face with the familiar handsome blue eyed man on the other side of the door she had lost her train of thought. Any words she could try to muster refused to come out, and her heart began to beat a little faster than normal.

"Robin," she mumbled.

"Regina."

* * *

 **Don't kill me for the cliffhanger! I promise the next update Robin and Regina get to spend a bit of time together before things get crazy. I have a great ideas for this story and I hope you guys stay with me.**


End file.
